How to set up wi-fi access on your BlackBerry

It's easy to set up wi-fi access on your new BlackBerry - and this user guide takes you through the process step by step

Published on Oct 6, 2009

If your new BlackBerry has Wi-Fi and you are in range of a hotspot you have access to, you can use this to supplement the 3G or GPRS data connection.

Wi-Fi-based internet access is usually faster than even 3G and it will preserve your handset’s battery life if the signal is strong.

Setting up a Wi-Fi connection is very simple and is also aided by a wizard. If the access point or hotspot you are planning to connect to uses WEP or WPA security, make sure you have the password, also known as a key.

From the setup wizard, select ‘Set Up Wi-Fi’.
Read the explanation of how Wi-Fi can benefit your BlackBerry use, then click ‘Set Up’.
The next screen contains more basic information about Wi-Fi. There is a tick box you can select if you want to disable this screen. This is worth doing if you are comfortable with how Wi-Fi works and how to set up a connection. Click ‘Next’.
On this screen, you have four options, but ‘Scan For Networks’ is the feature you will use most to find a Wi-Fi connection. If you are an advanced user and the hotspot you are planning to connect to does not broadcast its name (known as an SSID), use ‘Manually Add Network’. Otherwise, select ‘Scan for Networks’.
Your BlackBerry will look for hotspots and display the results as a list. Pick the one you want.
If it is an unsecured network, you are done – just save the settings and connect. If it is a secure network, you will be prompted to enter the key. Do this and click ‘Save’.
That’s it – you are up and running, and your BlackBerry will connect to that Wi-Fi hotspot whenever it is in range.